Sinestro Crash Course
“That’s the tragedy of all this, Jordan…Hal. We’ll always be friends.”
Created by John Broome and Gil Kane, and first appearing in 1961’s Green Lantern #7, Sinestro is one of DC’s greatest villains. Once the greatest of the Green Lanterns, and mentor to Hal Jordan, and later their, and Hal’s, greatest adversary, Sinestro has gone through so much character development in his decades-worth of publication, making him one of the most interesting and complex characters in the DC Universe. With this selection of comics, I aim to provide a starting point for those interested in diving into some of Sinestro’s best and most iconic stories.
Start here
The Bread
This is the stuff that makes Sinestro who he is, the essential reads that shaped him from Hal Jordan’s mentor into his greatest adversary. Start here before venturing anywhere else.
The First Appearance
The Day 100,000 People Vanished – Green Lantern (1960) #7
Written by John Broome · Art by Gil Kane
This is where it all began! Although it’s no longer “in canon”, I think it is essential Sinestro reading for a few reasons. For starters, it’s his first appearance so it has historical significance. Re-reading it for this piece, I also found it to be still very much in line with the modern origin for the character that is now “in canon”, at least when it comes to the basic fundamentals. Later retellings essentially keep this version intact and just add things to further deepen the mythos. I also just think it’s an incredibly fun, charming, and breezy read. John Broome’s script has that classic superhero charm and Gil Kane’s art is iconic. It’s definitely worth your time.
The Definitive Origin
Secret Origin – Green Lantern (2005) #29-35
Written by Geoff Johns · Art by Ivan Reis
With Secret Origin, there are a few ways you can approach it. This was published during Geoff John’s iconic run on Green Lantern, taking place from issues #29-35. Because it’s an undated retelling of the origin of Hal Jordan and his relationship with Sinestro, it can be read in a vacuum. Though it’s a flashback story, it sets up beats and introduces characters that become important figures later on in the run so it’s rewarding either way. Secret Origin is a retelling of the Post-Crisis origin, but is more of a snapshot of a specific moment in Hal and Sinestro’s past. It helps deepen their history and gives their relationship much more pathos, especially in the context of Geoff John’s larger run.
The New 52 Retelling
Green Lantern (2011) #23.4
Written by Matt Kindt · Art by Dale Eaglesham
This one is optional but is still worth mentioning. It’s basically just another retelling of Sinestro’s origin but retold for the New 52. It’s the same basic beats as everything before, but it’s written by the great Matt Kindt and accompanied with gorgeous art by Dale Eaglesham, and so it’s definitely worth your time!
Go deeper
The Meat
Once you’ve got the essentials down, here’s where you dig deeper into who Sinestro really is, from his Silver Age beginnings through the decade-long epic that made him a secondary protagonist.
The Silver Age
Green Lantern (1960) #9, 15, 18, 52
Written by John Broome · Art by Gil Kane
Because the DC Universe has constantly rebooted, I want to include some stories from each major era. Here I have included some classic Silver Age that feature some of Sinestro’s earliest appearances, all done by John Broome and Gil Kane. #9 is particularly important as it marks the first appearance of his yellow power ring. Sinestro constantly popped in and out throughout these earlier comics but these are my favorites and show how he is Hal Jordan’s greatest adversary from the very beginning.
The Villainous Turn
Emerald Twilight – Green Lantern (1990) #48-50
Written by Ron Marz · Art by Darryl Banks
If you’re a Green Lantern fan, or a DC fan in general, you have probably at least heard of Emerald Twilight. I can guarantee that you’ve at least seen the iconic cover of issue #49. The story sees Hal Jordan completely breakdown after the destruction of Coast City by Mongul and Cyborg Superman, making a villainous turn and committing genocide on the Green Lantern Corps. This story later was retconned by Geoff Johns in Green Lantern: Rebirth, in what I would argue to be a seamless retcon that recontextualizes Emerald Twilight without taking anything away from the original story. That’s just me though. So how does Sinestro fit into it? Well, I don’t want to spoil it for any new readers so I’ll just say he plays a pivotal role in the finale of the story.
The Epic
The Sinestro Corps War & Other Stories – Green Lantern: Rebirth (2004) #1-6, Green Lantern (2005) #21-25, Green Lantern (2011) #1-5
Written by Geoff Johns · Art by Ivan Reis, Doug Mahnke, and more
This is kind of the obvious one to include. If you are a fan of Green Lantern, you have probably read at least a portion of Johns’ run. This nearly decade long epic redefined the Green Lantern corner of the DC universe for the modern day, bringing in new readers and returning readers alike. Make no mistake, this is a Hal Jordan story, but Sinestro takes on the role of secondary protagonist throughout much of the run. I think this run as a whole is definitely worth a read, but Sinestro’s most important role is in the “big three” arcs, Rebirth, Sinestro Corps War, and Blackest Night, plus the opening arc of the relaunched New 52 relaunch book titled…Sinestro. These four arcs specifically give you a taste of different flavors of the character; the villain, the tyrant, the war monger, and the hero.
The Solo Spotlight
The Demon Within – Sinestro (2014) #1-23
Written by Cullen Bunn · Art by Dale Eaglesham
Cullen Bunn’s Sinestro series absolutely rules. I think it is one of the best and most underrated series of the New 52 era. My only complaint is that it didn’t go on for another 20 issues! We get a ton of development from Sinestro here. My favorite thing about this run is the dynamic between him and his daughter, Soranik Natu, who was introduced during the Geoff Johns era, and is essentially the co-lead. There is so much to love about this series and I think it deserves much more recognition so definitely check it out. It’s crazy that Sinestro never had a solo series before and hasn’t had one since! Get on it, DC!
The hidden gems
The Secret Sauce
Beyond the essentials, there’s plenty of other Sinestro stories worth exploring.
The Team-Up
The Revenge of the Renegade – Green Lantern (1960) #91-92
Written by Dennis O’Neil · Art by Mike Grell
I couldn’t talk about anything Green Lantern related without including something penned by the legend Dennis O’Neil. O’Neil and Neal Adams’s revolutionary Green Lantern/Green Arrow series doesn’t really feature Sinestro but shortly after Adams leaves the title, O’Neil is joined by Mike Grell and they immediately hit it off with an awesome two parter which sees Hal and Ollie take on Sinestro! This is a great little story that’s just plain fun. They even go back to medieval times! So definitely check it out.
The Throwback
In Brightest Days Past – Green Lantern (1990) #100
Written by Ron Marz · Art by Darryl Banks
This landmark, double-sized issue sees Kyle Rayner teaming up with the Hal Jordan of the past to battle Sinestro. This one comes with a couple caveats. For starters, this is the midpoint of a much larger time travel arc and it is very continuity heavy, and benefits from understanding the current status quo and what’s come before. #100 is the only issue in this larger arc that features Sinestro so it can be read in isolation. It’s notable for a few things. First, It’s Kyle’s first time meeting the “real” Hal Jordan, his first encounter with the larger Corps and the Guardians, and most importantly for this, his first encounter with Sinestro. This is more of a throwback obviously, with the time travel and all – Sinestro is the classic, snarky, insufferable villain of the past here, even wearing his classic blue and black outfit. It’s a great story in a good, albeit imperfect, larger run!
The New Threat
Sinestro’s Law – Hal Jordan and The Green Lantern Corps (2016) Rebirth #1, #1-7
Written by Robert Venditti · Art by Rafa Sandoval
Sinestro’s Law is the epic opening arc in Robert Venditti’s 50 issue series, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps. The Green Lantern Corps are no more and Sinestro, with his fear-inducing Yellow Lantern Corps are left as the sole protectors to patrol the universe. This arc is great on its own and sets up most of the major threads that will be explored in the series after. Plus, Rafa Sandoval’s art looks fantastic, giving it that big, bombastic, blockbuster feel. I really like this run and think it’s become a bit underappreciated nowadays so definitely check it out!
There are plenty of other great Sinestro stories if you want to dig deeper but these stories act as a great starting point, giving readers a taste of what makes the character so interesting.
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